For first time buyers and the property investors repossessed properties are very tempting. You will be wrong thinking that all repossessed properties are going to be bargains. If you ask to any property investor which type of property they find to be most attractive, the chances they will say a flat or a house is very less, they would say repossessions. They have attained an almost a trendy status in the property world, very much so that to even question the basis on which their position rests is equal to heresy.

So at the risk of being burnt at the chance examine these from an investment point of view. The first thing with these properties is that they come in all shapes and sizes together with good conditions and locations. Due to this reason it is very difficult to generalize them on any other basis apart from price. Here again, as it is price which tends to dominate and also an determining factor for all property investors, if these properties could be brought considerably below the market value, then the price alone would make them worth pursuing.

Contrary to the usual myth, not all of the repossessions would be sold at lower market value. Supply and demand alone determines the price as with all sales in the free market. That is said, banks are very serious sellers and they generally require a quick and sure sale. For all these reasons they are unlikely to agree to offers from those stuck in a chain and would prefer a purchaser who could move swiftly. So the market for these properties is somewhat more restricted than it is in the case for general sales. This consequently demands and on an average leads to a lower sales price.

So if we are accepting the reservations that repossessions are much cheaper than the general market property, the remaining question is where you can find them? Each lender has policies of their own for selling the property. Public auctions are a popular way to market since lenders have a responsibility of care their borrowers not to undersell their properties. These auctions are a way of lender realizing the benefit in a competitive open and fair fashion.

In order to know about these coming to auction you should either register with all 200 plus auctioneers in the UK, select only local auctioneers, or you can join an auction information service similar to that provided by choices acquisitions and investments. Again if you are leaving to buy at auction you must also very thoroughly familiarise your self along with the process first. Apart from auctions, some lenders will go through asset management companies who would select a local estate agent so as to sell their properties. You might have probably seen the notices in the local property papers for best offers by a closing date. These apply to the property and should be published by law before an offer is finally accepted.

In abstract, repossessed properties does not mechanically mean cheap properties but for the investors who could act rapidly and are so good at doing their due diligence then they surely represents one, although by no means the lone, source of below market property.